North Carolina Highway 116 is a primary state highway

State highway

State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...

 in the state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

. The highway runs east–west but is signed south–north, connecting the town of Webster

Webster, North Carolina

Webster is a town in Jackson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 363.Webster was the first county seat of Jackson county, until Sylva took over in 1913.-Geography:Webster is located at ....

 between two major highways in Jackson County

Jackson County, North Carolina

Jackson County is a county located in the southwest of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 40,271. Since 1913 its county seat has been Sylva, replacing Webster.-History:...

.

Route description

NC 116 is a two-lane mountain valley highway; it is best known as a short-cut to Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system....

 from Franklin

Franklin, North Carolina

Franklin is a town in Franklin Township, Macon County, North Carolina, United States, within the Nantahala National Forest. The population was 3,490 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Macon County. Franklin is an official Appalachian Trail friendly destination...

 and North Georgia. Mildly curvy, it passes through the town of Webster

Webster, North Carolina

Webster is a town in Jackson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 363.Webster was the first county seat of Jackson county, until Sylva took over in 1913.-Geography:Webster is located at ....

, where it crosses the Tuckasegee River.

History

Established in 1930 as new primary routing from NC 285 (today as Old Franklin Road) to NC 106 (renumbered in 1940 as NC 107). In the mid-1950s, the highway was extended west to a new alignment of US 23

U.S. Route 23 in North Carolina

U.S. Route 23 is an north–south United States highway that runs for from the Georgia state line, near Dillard, to the Tennessee state line, near Flag Pond.-Route description:...

/US 411.

Junction list

The entire route is in Jackson County

Jackson County, North Carolina

Jackson County is a county located in the southwest of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 40,271. Since 1913 its county seat has been Sylva, replacing Webster.-History:...

.

{| class="wikitable"
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
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|0
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|NC 116 begins at US 23 / US 441 mile marker 29; no left/southbound turn from NC-116 onto US 23 / US 441 South, must take US 23 /US 441 North and make a u-turn at Cagle Br Rd
|-
|Sylva

Sylva, North Carolina

Sylva is an incorporated town located in central Jackson County, in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 2,588. It is the county seat, having taken over from nearby Webster in 1913.-Geography:Sylva...

|4.1
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|NC 116 ends
|-